The present invention relates to a manually operated switch such as a wall-mounted light switch for controlling the level of light intensity from a light fixture and more particularly to a light level controller actuated by the switch which includes a microcomputer for initiating control programs to regulate the level of light intensity.
Wall-mounted light switches which include a dimmer have become increasingly popular especially for residential applications where it is desired to precisely control the level of light intensity in a particular room. Such light switches usually include a variable resistor which is manually manipulated to control the voltage input to the light, where the variable resistor is connected in series with the household AC power line. A desirable feature in such switches would be the ability to return to predetermined levels of light intensity from conditions of either full power on or full power off. At present, however, such switches have no such memory and formerly established light intensity levels may be reestablished only by manual operation and guesswork.
There are in existence, however, touch actuated dimmer controls which cycle through a dim to a bright cycle and back again, and include a memory function such that removing the hand from the switch will stop the cycle and store the level of light intensity at that point in memory. A subsequent touch will turn the light off and yet a further touch will return the light to its previous intensity level based upon the value of the intensity level stored in memory. While an improvement over the manually-operated variable-resistor type of dimmer, this dimmer may require the user to manually cycle through a complete cycle of dim light to bright light to arrive at a desired intensity level. This latter switch is known as a DECORA.RTM. touch dimmer and is manufactured by Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. of Littleneck, N.Y. The DECORA.RTM. touch dimmer, however, lacks the versatility needed for certain aesthetic effects such as an automatic gradual fade from one light level to another. Moreover, it cannot change the direction, that is, either the increasing (up) or the decreasing (down), of light intensity from one direction to another without completing a full cycle from dim to bright and back again. Also, the touch dimmer has no "remote" capability that would enable one to use its features from a remote location such as a hallway or another room. Full function remotes are common with ordinary two-position light switches, but have not been available for dimmers because of the complexity of the circuitry.
Yet another touch-type light control is shown in Hamilton, U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,096, and in Hosaka, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,670. These devices are responsive to the duration of touch for initiating various control functions but include no provision for automatically fading light from one level to another.
Automatic fading has in the past been available only in theatrical lighting systems employing very complicated switching inputs such as keyboard commands or elaborate banks of switches. Examples of such systems are shown in Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,295; Dinges, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,011; Van Buren, U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,914; and Isaacs, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,766,431 and 3,668,467.